This Valentine's Day
by shootingstar46
Summary: A C/M Valentine's Day story, with a little bit of R/J(cuz all my stories hafta have R/J...lol, u hafta admit, they are cute together), but mostly C/M. **Takes place before C/M started dating.** Please R/R!!!


I don't own any of the characters in this story(I know all of you must be shocked...lol)  
  
"Rahcel! Monica yelled angrily and stormed through the door of her and Rachel's apartment. "Oh, Chandler, sorry, I didn't know you were here... where's Rachel?"  
  
"I don't know." He said, looking up from his magazine. Monica looked at him strangely, wondering why he was there by himself. "Oh...Joey just got home from a date and...well...you know..." He hinted, not wanting to have to explain.  
  
"Oh, right." She laughed.  
  
"So what's the problem?" He asked.   
  
"Problem?"   
  
"Well, do you always come in screaming for Rachel like you're ready to kill someone?" He asked sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, that's no big deal. I'm just mad cuz Valentine's Day is in two days and I don't have a date...AGAIN." She whined.   
  
"Yeah, me neither." He saw the disappointment in her eyes. "Is it really that big of a deal?" He tried not to sound imprudent.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, it is." She snapped. "I thought by now I'd have a family, or at least a guy. Valentine's Day just reminds me of how lonely I am." she explained more calmly.  
  
"Why don't we go out tomorrow night?" He suggested. She gave him a 'yeah, right, nice try' expression to which he replied, "Not as a couple, just as friends, so we don't have to spend Valentine's Day alone." After a moment's pause and some careful consideration, Monica agreed. "Sure, why not." She smiled. "But just as friends, right?"  
  
"Absolutely." He assured her. She nodded in agreement.  
  
"Okay, great." He said, getting up. "I guess I can go now. I just heard the door shut across the hall so hopefully I'm allowed in now." He joked.  
  
"Hey, Joe." He greeted as he walked toward the door.  
  
"Hey." He said.  
  
"Where are you going?"   
  
"Gotta go find a date for Valentine's Day." He explained.  
  
"What?" He questioned, confused.  
  
"I can't not have a date for Valentine's Day." He rolled his eyes and scoffed at Chandler's stupidity.  
  
"Yeah, but what about that girl that just left?"  
  
"What about her?" Joey looked confused.  
  
"Right...I must've forgotten who I was talking to." Chandler said, trying to sound sarcastic, but as usual, it went in one ear and out the other.  
  
***The Next day***  
  
"Hey Chandler!" Joey excitedly ran through the door of the coffee house and over to the couch where Chandler was sipping his coffee. "Guess who I'm going out with tomorrow!" Chandler gave him a mocking pensive stare and waited for Joey's reply. "That girl that just moved in down the hall, you know the blonde?" He smiled.  
  
"The model?" He asked. "How do you do that?"  
  
"Pretty cool huh?"  
  
"Yeah, what is her name anyway?" Chandler inquired.  
  
"I dont' know. But...ummm...would you mind...uhh...not coming home for a while?"  
  
"You don't even know her name and you're bringing her back to the apartment?" He asked. He wondered why these kinds of things even surprised him anymore. "Where am I supossed to go?" He asked, annoyed by Joey's frequent antics.  
  
"Don't you have a date?"  
  
"Well, yeah, but it's Monica." Joey looked at him in shock. "Neither one of us have a date so we're just going out as friends." Chandler explained.  
  
"Please?" He begged.  
  
"Fine, but....but....but I don't like it." He scolded.  
  
***Valentine's Day***  
  
"Wow, you look nice." Chandler commented when Monica opened the door, wearing a short red dress. She blushed a little.  
  
"I thought we were just gong out as FRIENDS." She emphasised, trying to hide her flattery.  
  
"I know, but it would just be nice to pretend I'm not quite so pathetic." He smiled.  
  
"So where are we going?" She asked as he helped her with her coat.  
  
"You'll see." He said, opening the door.  
  
*******  
  
"Oh, Chandler! This is my favorite restaurant!" She squealed.  
  
"I know." He grinned.  
  
"You do?"   
  
"You forget, I've known you for ten years." They smiled again at one another and walked in.  
  
Once they were seated there was a long pause, neither of them really knew what to say. After a few minutes, Monica let out a soft giggle.  
  
"What's so funny?" Chandler asked, looking for any excuse to start a conversation.  
  
"Nothing, I was just thinking that we never get to talk, you know, just you and me. I thought this was going to be kind of awkward, I'll have to admit, but I think if we can ever get a conversation started, this might actually be fun." She said, finally looking up from the floor. He smiled at her still not knowing what to say.  
  
"Well, I definately think we'll have more time to talk considering Joey brings home a new girl practically every night." He said. "I've barely been allowed in my own apartment in the last two weeks." Monica chuckled lightly.  
  
"It's freezing in here." Monica shivered.  
  
"Do you want my coat?" Chandler took his jacket off and handed it to her.  
  
"Thanks." She smiled. Then came another awkward pause as both searched their memories for a topic.  
  
"Oh, my God...do you know who Phoebe is going out with tonight?" Monica's eyes lit up. Chandler shook his head as he sipped his wine.  
  
"One of Ross' friends form the paleontology department!" She giggled.  
  
"Are you serious?" He laughed, trying not to spray his wine across the table.  
  
"I know! There's a match made in heaven." She joked.  
  
"That just seems so...not Phoebe." He laughed.   
  
"Hey, weren't you supossed to watch Ben tonight?" Chandler recalled the previous week's converstaion when the laughter finally subsided.  
  
"Oh, I got Rachel to do it because she didn't have a date." Chandler nodded.  
  
  
***Same night, back at Rahcel & Monica's apartment.***  
  
Rachel tiptoed out of the bedroom after finally getting Ben to sleep. Just as she was about to sit down the door flew open and in walked Joey. "Hey. What are you doing home so early?" She questioned.  
  
"It didn't go very well." He stated simply. she could tell he didn't want to talk about it.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." She hugged him sympathetically. After a moment, they parted and looked at one another. Joey slowly leaned in and kissed her gently. She kissed him back passionately. Then the door opened.  
  
"I know!" Monica giggled.  
  
"I cant believe..." Chandler trailed off as the two saaw Rachel and Joey. 'Yes, I can go to my apartment tonight' Chandler thought. The two moved out the door and into Joey and Chandler's apatment, never parting from their emotional embrace. 'Maybe not' Chandler reconsidered. The heard the apartment door slam across the hall.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Monica, that reminds me, Joey told me not to come home early again tonight." He remarked sarcastically, trying to bring her ou tof her state of shock.. She didn't even hear him through her bewilderment.  
  
"Oh, my God! Can you believe that?! They are so cute together!" She shouted excitedly.  
  
"I know, now he's up to two girls a night. Some guys have all the luck." He joked.  
  
"Very funny." She rolled her eyes. "Well, it looks like you won't be going home for a while. You wanna watch a movie?" She suggested.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Hey, Rachel must've rented one." She picked up a video box off the coffee table. "I doubt she'll be watching it." She giggled, still excited over the two getting together. "Oooooohhh! Sweet November! I've been wanting to see this!"  
  
"Great." He mocked, rolling his eyes.   
  
All through the movie he had to listen to, 'aww, that's so sweet', 'they are so cute together', 'that is so romantic' and 'ooohhh, he looks good with his shirt off'. Monica was glued to the television screen, chandler was bored out of his mind. Chick flicks aren't really his type of movie. 'I'll have to remember to thank Joey tomorrow for this' He thought to himself sarcastically. Finally, after two hours, it was over.  
  
"That was so sad!" Monica cried in between sobs. She pushed away the pile of tissues to cuddle up to Chanlder. He rubbed her back, trying to hold back the laughter. "What is so funny?" She snapped.  
  
"You, crying over a movie." He giggled at her sensitivity.  
  
"That isn't funny. It just so happens that it was a very romantic movie wth a very tragic ending." She explained, still sobbing. Suddenly, it didn't seem so funny. He continued to comfort her, feeling something he wasn't quite prepared to handle.  
  
***The Next Day***  
  
"Joey!" Chandler shouted. "I really need to talk to you!"  
  
"Oh, my God Chandler! Last night with Rachel was so amazing!" He began, ignoring Chandler's request through his excitement. "We stayed up all night and talked, among other things." He hinted, giggling. "We're going out again tonight. Isn't that wierd? Me, going out with a girl...two nights in a row." He grinned form ear to ear. "Oh, so what did you want to talk about?" He said, finally snapping out of his daydream.  
  
"Well, last night, I....I think...when Monica and I were..." He couldn't come up with anything to explain what he was getting at.  
  
"You and Monica hooked up!" Joey gasped, wide-eyed, waving his finger in Chandler's face.  
  
"No, not yet, but..."He trailed off.  
  
"Well, you hafta tell her!" He shouted.  
  
"Can I speak for myself?" He became frustrated. "Anyway, I can't. She was very adamant about he fact that we were just going out as friends and..."  
  
"Chandler if you don't tell her I will." He urged him, looking at his watch.  
  
"What is your hurry?" He became impatient.  
  
"I'm supossed to meet Rachel for lunch in ten minutes." He fidgeted impatiently.  
  
"Well, thanks for all your help." He mocked. Joey hurriedly ran out as Chandler pondered his advice. 'If I tell her and things don't work out there'll be awkwardness, if I don't tell and secretly have a crush on her, It'll still be awkward.' He thought. He finally concluded that he was going to tell her.  
  
**"Later That Night***  
  
Chandler walked into Monica's apartment,to find her in the kitchen cooking. "Hey." He said.  
  
"Oh, hi Chandler." She returned the greeting.  
  
"Monica, we really need to talk." He began. She looked at him strangely. "It' jsut ever since last night I..." he was interrupted as he heard the tiolet flush and the bathroom door swung open.  
  
"Oh, Chandler, this is Mike." She introduced the two. 'Please tell me this is your cousin' Chandler thought as the two shook hands. "We work together at the restaurant." She explained. Chandler's face suddenly went pale.  
  
"Oh...well I really have to go." He stammered as he turned towards the door.  
  
"I thought you said there was something you needed to tell me." She yelled after him.  
  
"It can wait." He hastily shut the door behind him.  
  
Chandler sullenly walked into the apartment. "Hey, what happened?" Joey asked, inferring form the disappointment in his eyes that it didn't go well.  
  
"She has a date." He said monotonely.  
  
"Well, you still have to tell her." He recommended firmly.  
  
"What?"   
  
"You can't feel like that about someone and just not tell them." He advised him.  
  
"Did you not hear she has a date?" Chandler repeated.  
  
"Just do something really romantic..." He thought a moment. "like send her flowers and candy. Girls love that kind of stuff." He nodded in confirmation of his advice.  
  
"That just might work." He thought out loud. "And if it doesn't I'm going to kill you." He added. He raced out of the apartment.  
  
Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. "Hey, Rach." Joey grinned form ear to ear when he saw her.  
  
"Hi." She beamed back at him. They were both the tried to hide their excitement, but gave up after an immediate failure. They didn't know it yet, but they had each found the love of their lives, and were soon intertwined in a passionate embrace.  
  
"Rachel, I love you." Joey blurted out randomly. He knew it was premature, but he didn't care. He really did love her.   
  
She looked deeply into his eyes and smiled, seeing the sincerity in his expression. "I love you too." She kissed him softly.  
  
  
***The next day****  
  
Monica walked in the door and shuffled into the bedroom, exhausted after a long day's work. She reached the doorway of the bedroom, and stopped dead in her tracks. Candles were buring softly as she gazed into the room which was strewn with hundereds of red roses, bouquets on the dresser and nightstand, and thousands of crimson petals covering the bed and floor like a blanket.  
  
"Chandler walked into the bedroom where she was standing. He had been waiting for her. Monica whipped around as she heard footsteps behind her. "Chandler." she gasped, speechless.  
  
"Monica, the other night when we went out, I felt something that I have never felt before...with anyone. I don't know where these feelings came from or why they came so suddenly but I do know that I love you. That's the only thing that makes sense to me and that's all that matters. I want to make this Valentine's day last forever. I know you just want to be friends, but don't you think we should a least give this a shot?" He pleaded. "If you can tell me right now that you felt nothing the other night, then I'll walk away right now, but I..."  
  
"Chandler, shut up." She said softly, a tear rolling down her cheek. He looked at her with a hurt and confused look in his eyes. Just as he was about to leave, she walked up to him, put her arms around his neck and whispered softly in his ear. "What took you so long?" She briefly looked in his eyes and smiled sweetly, before kissing him passionately. He wrapped his arms around her, caressing her small frame. "I love you, too." She whispered.  
  
  
  
The End 


End file.
